Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh was born in 1552 in Hayes Barton, Devonshire, London. He was born to a Christian believing family. His nationality was English. His moms name was Catherine Champernowne. He was famous for bringing back tobacco and potato from America to England and discovered the City Of Gold. In 1578 he set sail to America with his half brother called Sir Humphrey Gilbert. In 1584 he set sail to go to America alone this time. He travelled at the age of 25. he explored America because he knew he could discover something like gold or silver or something interesting. He explored by ship because he knew it was the shortest way. He did not get into any conflicts with the Native Americans but he did get into conflicts with the Spanish boats aka Armada. He discovered Guiana and established the Virginia colony of Roanoke Island. He brought America to the world. He was a courtier, soldier, poet, English writer and an explorer. He loved writing poetry about his life. His dad was a farmer, his brother was an explorer called Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and His wife was a princess. (Daughter of the Queen.) He was beheaded in 1618, Whitehall for attacking the Spanish. After his death, his head was embalmed and given to his wife. She kept it with her until she died 29 years later and then put the head in his graveyard which was called St. Margaret’s Westminster. He was well- known for putting a cloak down on a puddle of mud so Queen Elizabeth I’ s shoes won’t get dirty. He failed two missions. One was in 1585 and the second one was in 1587.

People saw the importance in his discoveries because he brought America to the world and he brought new food for the people in England. A lot of people had bias because they wanted to protect him. He was under arrest in the custody of a relative (Sir Lewis Stukeley) and also tried to catch a prisoner when trying to escape so that he wouldn't get into trouble.

He was arrested twice. First time was for marrying the queens’ daughter without her permission and the second time was in 1603 after the queen died. He had 4 brothers and one sister. One of his brothers was a famous explorer called Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the other was called Adrian Gilbert and another brother was called Sir John Gilbert. These were all his half brothers. His real brother was called Carew Raleigh. His sister’s name was Margaret. He had 2 relatives with the names of Richard Grenville and Francis Drake. He had a very close friend called Sir Walter long who was also an explorer. The reason he wanted to be an explorer was because he new there were amazing discoveries to make and because he heard of the City of Gofd and wanted to see it. He also wanted to be an explorer because his brother was an explorer. He only explored North America and Guiana. Before he was beheaded, he was given one last smoke of tobacco to continue the tradition. In 1616, he sailed to Guiana again but failed, also attacking the Spanish Settlement. in 1618, He was beheaded by the headsman in Whitehall.




Here are a few poems by Walter Raleigh...


THE LIE
by: Sir Walter Raleigh
O, Soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless arrant!
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie.

Say to the court it glows
And shines like rotten wood;
Say to the church it shows
What's good, and doth no good:
If court and church reply,
Then give them both the lie.

Tell potentates they live
Acting by others' action,
Not loved unless they give,
Not strong but by a faction.
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.

Tell men of high condition
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell them that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who, in their greatest cost,
Seek nothing but commending:
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell zeal it wants devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it is but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust:
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.

Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honor how it alters;
Tell beauty how she blasteth;
Tell favor how she falters:
And as they shall reply,
Give every one the lie.

Tell wit how much it wrangles
In tickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in over-wiseness:
And when they do reply,
Straight give them both the lie.

Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is pretension;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And as they do reply,
So give them still the lie.

Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay:
And if they will reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell schools they want profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming:
If arts and school reply,
Give arts and school the lie.

Tell faith it fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood shakes off pity;
Tell virtue least preferreth:
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.

So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing,--
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing,--
Stab at thee, he that will,
No stab the soul can kill.

EVEN SUCH IS TIME
by: Sir Walter Raleigh
VEN such is time, that takes in trust
Our youth, our joys, our all we have,
And pays us but with earth and dust;
Who, in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days:
But from this earth, this grave, this dust,
My God shall raise me up, I trust.